Out Okla. State Senator Runs for Congress

Oklahoma's first openly gay state senator announced this week that he will be running for the 5th District Congressional seat, Oklahoma's KRMG reports.

Al McAffrey, a Democrat, hopes to fill the seat left vacant by James Lanfkord, who will be running for the seat left open by Senator Tom Coburn.

During a news conference announcing his run, McAffrey said, "it's not about political parties or bipartisanship, rather about our friends and neighbors." He added, but to do it, we have to send different people to Congress. I'm running because I believe there is a better way. As a father of three wonderful women and a grandfather, I know my daughters deserve better."

He continued saying, "right now, Washington is stuck in gridlock. Folks on both sides of the aisle are so stuck they can't manage to get anywhere on anything. And while they're playing politics, the folks back here at home are paying the price."

McAffrey also spoke with Oklahoma's LGBT newspaper, the Gayly, about running.

"I've been looking at this race for about a year," he said, adding that he is already starting raising funds for his campaign. "We have commitments from a lot of people here in Oklahoma and outside of Oklahoma helping us raise money."

KRMG reports McAffrey, the first openly gay politician to serve the Oklahoma Legislature, was a police officer for Oklahoma City and a Navy veteran. He currently owns OK Cremation and Mortuary Services and is the Oklahoma State Senator for District 46. According to Wikipedia, he has three daughters and eight grandchildren.